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Grand Marshal Wayne Norman with Governor Jodi Rell led the 2007 parade
The W I L I B O O M B O X P A R A D E
The 2008 parade begins at 11:00am on July 4
GET A PARADE OVERVIEW FROM THE NOVEMBER 21, 2007 HARTFORD COURANT, CLICK HERE
READ JESSICA CHARRON'S SUMMARY OF THE 2007 PARADE IN THE WILLIMANTIC CHRONICLE, CLICK HERE.
READ GREG SMITH'S NORWICH BULLETIN SUMMARY OF THE 2007 PARADE, CLICK HERE.
READ SUSAN CAMPBELL'S HARTFORD COURANT PREVIEW OF THE 2007 PARADE, CLICK HERE.
READ DAVID HINCHEY'S PARADE PREVIEW IN THE CHRONICLE, CLICK HERE.
READ AMY LAWSON'S NORWICH BULLETIN PARADE PREVIEW, CLICK HERE.
A HARTFORD COURANT CRYPTOGRAM FEATURED THE BOOM BOX PARADE ON JULY 1, 2007. CLICK HERE TO SEE IT.
FOR VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2006 PARADE, CLICK HERE
FOR PHOTOS AND A SUMMARY OF THE 2006 PARADE, CLICK HEREFOR PHOTOS AND A SUMMARY OF THE 2005 PARADE, CLICK HERE
FOR PHOTOS OF THE 2004 PARADE CLICK HERE.
To view photos from prior parades, click here
To view photos of Grand Marshal Wayne Norman's unusual parade outfits, click here
For a listing of the music and artists used for the soundtrack of the WILI Boom Box Parade, click here
In 1986, no marching band could be found for Windham's Memorial Day Parade. Five weeks later, the "Boom Box Parade" concept was born, as WILI plays the marching band music on the air, while thousands march and watch, loudly playing their radios (boom boxes). It's now the largest parade of its kind in the world.
Decked out in red, white, and blue, WILI's Wayne Norman leads off the 2003 WILI "Boom Box Parade" asking a question that was on many peoples' minds.
The 2007 WILI "Boom Box Parade" brought even more creative entries to Main Street and was one of the best attended parades yet. It lasted 91 minutes, and as usual, featured marchers and spectators from around Connecticut, the USA, and the world. Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell marched at the front of the parade.
Once a year WILI Sales Manager Donna Evan is a clown
The 2003 and 2004 Boom Box Parades were the longest of the 22 Boom Box Parades (104 minutes). As with the inaugural parade in 1986, the 2000 parade also attracted nationwide attention. The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times ran major features on the parade, with color photos. The Willimantic Chronicle, Hartford Courant and Norwich Bulletin ran major features on the parade, complete with color photos. In addition, Connecticut TV stations WFSB and WVIT covered the Boom Box Parade and had features on the 5pm and 11pm news.
Members of the Traveling Fish Head Club of Northeast Connecticut give Willimantic a new name.
Anyone can march in "Connecticut's Unique People's Parade." The only requirement is to wear some red, white, and blue, and bring a radio tuned to WILI (1400-AM). American flags are optional, but encouraged. There is no "official" theme for the parade.
An ex-Governor came to the 2004 WILI Boom Box Parade, complete with hot tub and suitcase for his trip to Pennsylvania.
The 2008 WILI "Boom Box Parade" begins at 11 AM sharp. Formation for the Boom Box Parade starts at Jillson Square on Main Street between 9 and 10:30am on July 4th. No pre-registration is necessary. A one-mile road race preceded the 2004-2007 parades. For more information, click here.
UConn English Professor and Hartford Courant columnist Gina Barreca calls the WILI Boom Box Parade "unquestionably the event that makes the Fourth of July seem as important as it should be."
People spilled off the sidewalks to watch the 1997 WILI Boom Box Parade
The Boom Box Parade originated when no band could be found for Windham's Memorial Day Parade. Two days before the holiday, parade lover Kathy Clark approached WILI with the novel concept of the radio station playing marching band tunes while people blasted the music on radios ("boom boxes"). Figuring the lead time for promotion was too short, WILI vetoed the Memorial Day parade idea. Not to be denied, Kathy came back two weeks later, suggesting the concept for July 4. A tradition was born.
"We had no idea what to expect," said parade Grand Marshal Wayne Norman. "I went by the formation area 90 minutes before the parade, and no one was there. I thought, 'Wasn't THIS a great idea!'" But the first parade lasted 44 minutes and was hailed as a great success. Recent parades have been more than twice as long. For a story on Kathy Clark's legacy, click here.
Past parade marchers have included a "baby boomers unit"--parents pushing children in strollers; a "precision drill team"--marchers holding power drills; skateboard units, along with various decorated floats and marching youth and civic groups. One of the most popular annual entries is the "Traveling Fish Head Club of Northeast Connecticut", which in 2003 had a "herring town" entry and in 2001 had a tribute to Windham's frog bridge. Recently, nearly 100 members of the Haggerty family have gone all out with their "Haggerosa" theme--a takeoff on Bonanza's "Ponderosa" in 1998 and multi-unit circus theme in 1999, and a "We are not alone" aliens theme in 2000. In 2001 their "Haggerosa Patrol" stretched over three blocks with its keystone cops routine.
In 2003 they had a cruisin' theme, called "Haggerosa Rock 'n Roll" The family's display included a Mel's Diner float complete with a jukebox as well as a golf car converted into a mini car.
The Haggerosa clan again had multiple entries which spanned over a block. The 2003 theme was 50's and 60's Rock and Roll.
The parades are always led by Grand Marshal Wayne Norman--WILI's morning man since 1970. He has developed a tradition of wacky outfits. He started the 2007 parade dressed like a 1950's greaser, as a tribute to WILI's 50th anniversary in 2007. In 2006, he was dressed as "The King of Willimantic" while sitting atop a huge boom box. In 2005 he kayaked down Main Street, while wearing a Red Sox jersey in honor of the 2004 World Series champs. In 2004 he was wearing a white jump suit with a red, white, and blue sequined vest while riding an "adult tricycle" down Main Street. He led the 2003 parade decked out in red, white, and blue, while driving a decorated go-cart, and had a two-sided red sign which asked "Where's The Courant today?" and "Where's Dan Rather today," in response to recent Courant and 60 Minutes II portrayals of Willimantic (see photo top of this page).
Two months after he backpacked the Grand Canyon, Wayne led the 2002 Boom Box Parade in his hiking gear-- complete with backpack. His Canyon Hiking pals followed him with a stretcher-- just in case! He carryed cold water bottle in his pack and gave them to spectators on the 99 degree day.
He kicked off the 2001 parade as Uncle Sam riding a scooter. He wore a hard hat which played various sound effects and had two nylon propellers which lit up red and rotated. On his back was a drawing of Windham's new "Thread City Crossing" bridge, complete with actual photos of the bridge's frogs. And he carried a Sony Boom Box hanging from a strap around his neck.
In 2000, he led the "Cupid Corps"-nine individuals who had been honored for community service by being named Romantic Willimantic's "Cupid." Wayne was the first recipient in 1982. He headed the 2000 parade wearing big, white, safety-pinned diapers, carried a bow and arrow, and had a red sash saying "Cupid 1982." He wore his traditional drum major hat from Windham High, a "Stars and Stripes" shirt, had boom boxes for shoes, and carried a Boom Box. In 1999 he honored the National Champion UConn Men's Basketball team by wearing an actual game jersey of UConn center Jake Voskuhl, had the colorful Boom Box shoes, the drum major hat, carried a boom box, threw candy to the spectators, shot baskets at a hoop carried on the back back of WILI's afternoon man Shawn Higgins--all while pulling a dogsled which carried the UConn Husky mascot.
In 1998, he towed a bus-sized boom box while on rollerblades. In 1997, he was joined upfront by WILI News Director Mike Morrissette on motorcycles. In 1996, he was dressed as a giant snowball, in tribute to the record-setting winter of '95/'96. In previous years he wore a white tuxedo (1994), and the Frog of Windham (1993). In 1992 he attempted to ride a horse, and in 1991 rode ten feet above Main Street in a cherry-picker supplied by the Willimantic Fire Department.
Former WILI Account Executive Gail Baker always brightened Boom Box Parades
THE CHRONICLE'S Christina Hall described the 2003 WILI Boom Box Parade this way:
The entire parade, which stretched more than a half-mile from Jillson Square to Memorial Park down Main Street, lasted 104 minutes, according to Wayne Norman, parade marshal and morning deejay for WILI.
As the patriotic music blared from boom boxes and car stereos, Norman rode in a miniature car donning flag inspired clothing as well as a sign asking "Where's Dan Rather Now?" The reference was to the recent CBS "60 Minutes II" television investigation, based on the Hartford Courant's series characterizing Willimantic as a heroin-ridden town.
Hosmer Beverages of Willimantic provided the crowd of watchers welcome relief to the sweltering 90-plus degree heat with a high-powered water cannon which shot a gallon of cool spring water periodically at the crowd.
Chuck Potvin, one of the four brothers who owns the soda company, said they brought 170 gallons of water for the parade.
The Willimantic Brewing Co. also found a way to keep spectators cool. Their western saloon float came complete with a frog playing a piano as well as a working tap, pouring out cool lemonade. Several members of the restaurant's staff handed out cups of the refreshing liquid to folks lining the parade route.
While many marchers were just out to have fun and make people laugh, some had a political message.
The Northeast Coalition for Peace and Justice brought a large group together to warn of what they perceived as the dangerous implications of the Patriot Act, passed shortly after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
The group's float included people representing the statue of liberty, justice, freedom of the press and freedom of speech captured in a jail cell atop a flatbed truck.
The purpose of the float was to show parade watchers "what happen to different aspects of our community" because of the Patriot Act, according to coalition member Chris Demorit.
For more information, on the WILI "Boom Box Parade," contact Wayne Norman at (860) 456-1111, or E-mail wayne @ wili.com
The Willimantic Brewing Company/Main Street Cafe Float was complete with a piano-playing frog. (Donna Andrychowski Photo)
Boom Box Parade banners like this and the one at the top of this page adorn Main Street before the parade
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